


There were fireworks (is it just in my head?)

by girlguideskickass



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-15
Updated: 2015-12-15
Packaged: 2018-05-06 21:41:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5431823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girlguideskickass/pseuds/girlguideskickass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Scorpion AU, where Laurel and Felicity help Connor impress his crush.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There were fireworks (is it just in my head?)

**Author's Note:**

> This was a Scorpion AU that popped into my head. (And I kind of had more ideas, but then I was way over my intended word count so I decided to save them for another day. But if people like this there could be a sequel?) But some of the dialogue has come pretty much directly from the show.

Going back to elementary school was weird. Going back to school to pick up her friend’s (who was on a cruise pretending to be a rich person so that they could disarm a bunch of rockets that were being smuggled illegally) child was even weirder. It was kind of surprising that they even handed Connor over, but Laurel assumed that they wanted ‘Connor the sick’ gone, and Sandra had told the school nurse who she was. But still, Laurel worried about being able to sign Connor out of school so easily…in their line of work who knew how long it would be until someone attempted to use Connor to get back at the team. 

Confronting the school about their policies would have to wait though, because Connor’s health was the most pressing issue.

“It’s terrible that you are feeling sick.” Laurel attempted to comfort Connor. The kid seemed to be squirming more than usual and had refused to meet her eyes for the last three minutes. “You know, when you get the chills it means your body is fighting an infection.”

\- - -

Connor sat on the couch, the valentine he had made for Sloane in Laurel’s hands as she confronted him. He was finally looking at her, a nervous expression on his face. Finally Laurel broke the silence.

“A nap sack full of icepacks to make your teeth chatter? I’ve seen you hack a thermometer Connor. This is amateur hour.”

“I had limited resources.” Connor responded indignantly. “I just…I was going to give Sloane my Valentine but Jake beat me to it.” He took the Valentine back from Laurel and stared at it despondently.

\- - -

It had been over half an hour and Connor still hadn’t moved and Felicity was starting to get desperate. Laurel had explained the situation to her but Felicity didn’t understand why Connor was willing to risk his and Sloane’s friendship over a card, let alone skip school because another boy had noticed the same girl he had.

“You and Sloane are friends right Connor?” Felicity waited for Connor to acknowledge her, and when a barely audible affirmation came from the young boy she continued. “Well maybe she doesn’t want to jeopardise your friendship.” As Felicity spoke she stared at Laurel, her words conveying a deeper meaning. “Maybe she’s never had a best friend like you before and that probably means a lot to her. So don’t take it personally, you’ll just have to be patient.”

And when Laurel responded, asking for a timeframe, asking the question that Felicity didn’t know the answer to. Hacking into the FBI? Felicity Smoak can do that with her eyes closed. Literally. But understanding her own feelings for Laurel, being confident enough to risk their friendship, braving the unknown and taking that plunge? Felicity says a polite but firm, no thank you. 

So when Connor interrupts their silent staring to say that he has no clue what is going on, Felicity thanks her lucky stars. Another crisis averted, no matter how temporarily. Every tiny, little delay buys her a couple extra seconds to overanalyse her feelings and the situation. And that is how Felicity was going to make her decision, she needed to consider every option. Figure out if life with Laurel as a girlfriend was worth risking their best friend-ship.

\- - -

Laurel couldn’t take it any more. Felicity was talking to Connor about Sloane except it didn’t sound like she was talking about Connor and Sloane at all. It sounded like she was talking about Felicity and Laurel. Because Felicity and Laurel were best friends. They did everything together, including saving the world as a part of Team Arrow. But Laurel was getting sick of telling Felicity how she felt only to be ignored. How could Felicity just ignore her? It was impossible for Laurel to ignore Felicity (and trust me, she has tried). And so she asks.

“How patient? Like if you had to put a timeframe on it.” 

It looked to Laurel like Felicity was considering answering, and so Laurel waited for her to finish running the mental calculations. Felicity always deliberated everything no matter how seemingly unimportant, from the pros and cons of a decision as simple as a flavour of ice-cream to have for dessert (mint choc chip) to what movie to watch on one of their infamous movie nights. Felicity didn’t take risks unless she had to, she didn’t want to lose the sense of family Team Arrow provides, and Laurel knew that. But at the same time Laurel selfishly hoped that Felicity just go ‘stuff this’ and put her work down to kiss Laurel.

“I really don’t know what we’re talking about anymore.” Connor’s voice stopped Laurel’s train of thought and brought her back to reality. And she could see his words doing the same thing to Felicity. Felicity was retreating back into her shell, hiding between the wall she had so carefully built over the years. 

Dismayed Laurel reached down and gently steered Connor away from Felicity’s workbench, leaving her to tinker with her latest project, a replica of some device that Oliver needed to complete their mission. Which Felicity should definitely get back to, because the team’s lives (supposedly) rested on this device working.

\- - -

“You ready Connor? Once I start this fire there is no putting it out.” Laurel checked with Connor one more time before pressing the button to begin the fireworks display. Symbolically it should probably be Connor but even she isn’t irresponsible enough to trust a 9 year old (no matter how intelligent they are) to control a fireworks display. And whilst Felicity was the one who did the bulk of the engineering and pretty much all of the work in setting it up, Laurel thought that her contributions were significant enough to justify her receiving the honour of starting the display. After all, who had it been that had come up with the idea? And she was responsible for all of the snacks (even if she was also the person responsible for the original snacks’ disappearance).

The sound of the fireworks had caught the kids attention and suddenly Connor’s class was outside looking up at the sky, eagerly waiting for the next colourful display. Connor looked for the intended target, and there Sloane was, standing at the front, gazing up at the sky in awe.

“I’m breaking about 12 laws right now so I suggest you talk to her while you can.” Laurel gently shoved Connor in Sloane’s direction before refocusing on the controls she held in her hand. “Let’s seal the deal for him.”

In a bright red the words ‘For Sloane’ now lit up the sky, followed by…

“Love Connro?” Felicity laughed, as Laurel cringed at the error that had been made. But looking over at Connor and Sloane, they seemed pretty happy. Sloane was still staring at the sky, at her name shining brightly, brazenly followed by Connor’s. And Connor seemed ecstatic with the results, Sloane was wearing the biggest smile he had ever seen, and he knew that his Valentine was fifty times better than Jake’s. Maybe he really did have a chance.

\- - -

Felicity looked up at Laurel. It was an inconvenience that came from being significantly shorter than everyone else. Usually Felicity would counteract the huge height difference by wearing heels, but when Laurel also wore heels it made it a little redundant. And they had planned for the worst possible situation (and the most realistic), one that involved them running from authorities after releasing illegal fireworks at an elementary school.

Felicity was still laughing, the error in the fireworks was more amusing than anything, but Laurel appeared to be a little disappointed that Connor’s big gesture hadn’t been flawless. But Laurel’s next words made Felicity doubt her interpretation of Laurel’s feelings.

“Look at them, they’re both content. Love can be misspelled and messy and it still works it just needs to be given the chance.” Laurel’s words was soft, all but whispered to Felicity as they stood next to each other in front of Connor’s elementary school. Felicity turned her head to look at Laurel and found her to be staring right back.

\- - -

“Forget it.”

It killed Laurel to say those two words, but clearly Felicity didn’t feel the same way. Laurel didn’t want to hold her to anything that Laurel had obviously misinterpreted, and even if Felicity didn’t like her back, or there wasn’t some big romantic moment, that was okay. Despite the parallels that had formed in both of their minds, this display wasn’t for them, it was for Connor and Sloane. 

Just as Laurel was resigning herself to yet another opportunity missed, she felt Felicity’s hand reaching between their bodies, intertwining their fingers, their joined hands the single focus point of Laurel’s entire body. Everything was Felicity. Felicity’s hand in hers, the warmth of Felicity’s palm against hers, the meaning behind this. Felicity was choosing her. Laurel. Felicity had chosen them.

\- - -

Felicity didn’t know what it was that had convinced her that it would be a good idea to grab Laurel’s hand, but she couldn’t stand to see Laurel look so upset, broken. Laurel had taken a risk and it was time for Felicity to take one too.

And so she just enjoyed the way that Laurel’s hand fit in hers, and the colours in the sky. 

She got lost in the moment, how it felt to finally touch Laurel, to show her that she cared. 

Which is why when Laurel turned and bent down slightly to hold Felicity’s face in her hands. Felicity allowed herself to lean into Laurel’s hands for a second, before jumping back.

“Woah, what are you doing?” Felicity fought the urge to put her hands on her face in the place where Laurel’s had been seconds earlier, and instead focused on how happy Laurel looked.

“Are you going to punch me?” Laurel was a little wary of Felicity. The blonde was one terrifying person, and Laurel had seen firsthand the pain that Felicity’s punches could cause. (Although Cooper more than deserved it, and he was lucky that was the only physical pain he received.)

“I don’t think so.” Surprisingly that was the truth. Felicity didn’t want this moment to end, but her instincts had kicked in. But for once they weren’t screaming at her to get out of there. Felicity trusted Laurel and that was probably more terrifying than the fact that, oh gosh, she was thiiis close to kissing Laurel.

“Okay then.” Laurel leaned in once again. But of course fate conspired against them and they both turned to watch as a yelling teacher came outside, blathering about how dangerous it was and informed the still smiling pair that she had called the police.

\- - -

“What’s going on? This is extremely dangerous. I have called the police! This cannot happen on school grounds.”

Yelling interrupted their almost kiss, and Laurel turned away exasperated, to watch Connor’s teacher, the same woman she had met earlier that day, come outside. As her words registered, Laurel immediately ran towards Connor before picking him up and running with him and Felicity back to their car. 

“What about Sloane?”

“Don’t worry, chicks dig outlaws.” Laurel winked at Felicity.


End file.
